Child maltreatment and peer relationship quality: Types and timing of maltreatment and gender differences.

INTRODUCTION: Research demonstrates that child maltreatment can negatively impact adolescent peer relationships. It is not well understood, however, how the type of maltreatment and its timing (when it occurs) affects the dimensions of peer relationship quality (i.e., companionship, conflict, satisfaction, and intimacy) and differences between genders. This study examines the effects of type and timing of child maltreatment on peer relationship quality, while also exploring the role of gender differences. METHODS: This study involved 851 adolescents (56.1% girls, 56.2% Black, and 26.8% low-income) drawn from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). We used Child Protective Services' information for the type and timing of child maltreatment, along with self-reports of peer relationship quality. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEEs) were conducted. RESULTS: Sexual abuse and neglect during adolescence were associated with less satisfaction and lower levels of companionship, respectively. Physical abuse during middle childhood was associated with lower levels of intimacy. We also found interactions between gender and type and timing of maltreatment. Compared to girls, boys exhibited lower levels of companionship and satisfaction if they experienced sexual abuse during adolescence. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a need for maltreatment-prevention efforts targeting school-aged children and adolescents, as well as gender-sensitive interventions for high-risk boys with a history of maltreatment.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Women Who Are Sex Trafficked, and Social Service Utilization: Implications for Social Work.

The aim of this study was to examine the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the high levels of social service usage by women who are sex trafficked. Fifty (N = 50) women who were sex trafficked were surveyed using purposive and snowball sampling methods. The ACEs score for respondents ranged from 2 to 10 with an average score of 7.4 (SD = 2.3). Emotional and sexual abuse tied at 88 percent as the most frequently cited ACEs among the women in this sample. The prevalence of ACEs was significantly higher in this sample compared with known estimates in similar populations, ranging from 20 percent to 54 percent (p < .001). Considering the well-established link between ACEs and poor health outcomes, these findings point to the need for innovative and targeted social service provisions to women who were formerly sex trafficked that take into consideration the high level of ACEs of the women. Given the sociodemographic diversity of this sample, there is a need for services that are trauma-informed, innovative, and culturally sensitive in a variety of social service settings.

Parenting attitudes and behaviors among parents involved with the child welfare system and affected by substance use disorders.

BACKGROUND: Co-occurring parental substance use and child maltreatment is a serious concern in the U.S child welfare system. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to examine parenting attitudes and practices among parents who participated in Ohio START (Sobriety, Treatment, And Reducing Trauma), a statewide initiative that provides support to families affected by co-occurring parental substance use and child maltreatment. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Study 1 involved quantitative data collected from 73 enrolled parents through pre-test and post-test telephone surveys. Study 2 (parent interviews) involved qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews with 34 enrolled parents. METHODS: The paired-sample t-test and the McNemar test were conducted in Study 1 and thematic analysis was conducted in Study 2. RESULTS: Quantitative analysis indicated significant improvements in parental expectations of children (t = -3.42, p = .001, Cohen's d = -0.40), parent-child family roles (t = -5.74, p < .001, Cohen's d = -0.67), and children's power and independence (t = -3.42, p = .001, Cohen's d = -0.40). Qualitative analysis revealed six themes related to changes in parenting after participation in Ohio START: (1) Being present for children, (2) Engaging in activities with children, (3) Enjoyment in providing care to children, (4) Maintaining employment for financial stability, (5) Better emotion regulation and stress management, and (6) a sense of pride. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate positive changes in parenting attitudes and practices among parents who participated in Ohio START and provide further support for the potential merits of this model and its continued expansion throughout Ohio.

Social Work and the Next Frontier of Racial Justice: Using COVID-19 as a Vehicle for Healing.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put the United States and the world into a state of uncertainty. Before the onset of the coronavirus, awareness of health disparities across cities in the United States was questionable at best. As the world continues to grapple with the fallout of the pandemic and the response to it, several states and developed and developing countries created and implemented response efforts that were used as a guide, which social workers are most qualified to address but have not been a focus on a national nor international stage. This commentary focuses on two American states - Texas and Ohio as well as other global countries, and their responses that gained worldwide attention related to healthcare accessibility, service provision, and the role social workers should play moving forward and beyond the pandemic.